Push-rod lock



June 24, 1930. c. N. FAIRCHILD 1,766,493

I PUSH ROD LOCK Filed Sept. 12, 1927 Charlesyfiirekild,

7 provide a bore of two diameters, in the- Patented June 24, 1930 i EUNHTED STATES PATEN'E oFFIcE CHARLES N. FAIRCHILD, or'NEw HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, assrenoa T0 FAIROHILD LOCK CORPORATION, or NEW YORK, N. Y., a conronarron or DELAWARE v 1 PUSH-ROD LOGK Application filed September 12, 1927. Serial No. 219,044. I

This invention relates to looks and has for its object the provision'of a simple and efficientmean s which will prevent accidental I movement ofthe bolt to locking position.

\A further object of the invention lies in the provision of means for intercepting the travel of-t he' bolt of a steering post locking mechanism until such time as the key has been turned to the 360 position that is, at

locking position, and will at this time eject the key, permitting the locking bolt to move to steering post locking position. In'tl1e ;drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation.

Figure 2 is a section taken thru the axis oft'he push rod and showing the locking bolt mechanism in elevation, and

Figure 43 is a bottom plan view of the device omitting the lock housing cap.

While it must be understood that the invention is very general in its application 1 p have illustrated it in connection with a steering post locking bolt for clearness of description. The lock housing 10 has a housing cap 11 )which is secured to it in permanent manner as by the one-way screws 18 so as to grasp firmly and immovably a steering post casing (not shown).

I prefer to include with my locking bolt 17 some means for making and breaking the ignition circuit and hence illustrate two'contact pieces 27 and 28 which are bridged by a metal cup 30 carried by but insulated from the stem 31 which is urged downwardly into open ignition circuit position by a spring 32. The locking bolt 17 is slidable within its bore but may not rotate since the lifting pin 43 projects thru a slot in the plug 11. The means for lifting the bolt 17 that is, for

smaller of which 50, aplunger 51 slides, this plunger having an enlarged collar '52 freely sliding in the larger bore 53, a spring 55 normally urgingthe plunger into the position shown'in Figure 2 wherein the head 56 of the plunger interferes with the-insertion of the key 50 by reason of lyingin the path of a slight pro ection 57 at one side of the'key. The plunger can, however, readily yield downward compressing the spring 55 but in so doing it interceptsthe bolt 17 by sliding into the curved groove 60 in the plunger which is rather elongated so as to permit a certain amount of movement of the bolt upward from locking position before being arrested by the depressed plunger 51. When the key is inserted in the lock the plunger is pushed downward by the projection 57 but the key is able to make a certain amount of angular movement and the elon gation of the groove 60 permits this to an extent 'suficient to free the plunger head 56 ffrom engagement with the projection 57 of the 'key and hence the spring 55 restores the lunger 51 to normal position before the locking bolt is arrested by the plunger.

Further movement of thekey 5G raises the bolt 17 out of locking position and moves the head 40 of the locking bolt into engagement with the head 33 of the ignition controlling stem which rises upon contact with the locking bolt to complete the ignition circuit. Movements of the key from the running position in about 270 to locking position which is 360 is barred by the plunger head 56 which must be depressed before the key can complete its turning so as to lock the car. A most serious accident might occur if, while the automobile is in motion, the driver should accidentallycause the key to turn. He might even turn the key with his hand in a spirit of absentmindednessand lock the car against steering while it was in motion simultaneously shutting off the ignition.- The plunger avoids such possibilities as the car cannot be locked save by two simultaneous totally diiferent mot-ions, one a direct press inward of the plunger and the other an angular movement of the key.

When the plunger is depressed to allow the key 50 to be turned to the 360 or looking position, the plunger 51 engages a second notch 61 in the locking'bolt, the engagement this time being quite a bit more snug but affording at all times and under any circumstances a ready reception of the plunger 51 inthe notch 61 when the car is unlocked. The spring 55 is always strong enough to cause the plunger 51 to move outwardly to follow the key and I prefer to make it strong enough so that it will eject the key when the key is moved to 360 position as this will I remove all temptation of the driver to leave and spring pressed plunger means normally positioned to prevent completion of the movement of the bolt but readily movable manually out of such position.

3. In combination, a bolt, key operated means for moving the bolt in one direction, and means normally positioned to prevent completion of the movement of the bolt but readily movable manually out of such position, said means when in normal position preventing completion of the travel of the key and when moved to permit completion of the key travel, limiting movement of the bolt, and freeing the bolt only when in normal position with the key removed.

4. In combination, a bolt, key operated means for moving the bolt in one direction, and means normallyv positioned to prevent com letion of the movement of the key but rea ily movable manually out of such position.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the means intercepts the bolt when moved out of normal position.

6. The device of claim 4 in which the means ejects the key when the key is moved to locking position.

7. The device of claim 4 in which the means is a spring pressed plunger.

8. The device of claim 4 in which the means is aspring pressed plunger which interce ts the bolt.

9. n a steering post lock for automobiles, a locking bolt, a spring for driving said bolt to locking position, a key operated lock rotatable thru 360 to withdraw the bolt from looking engagement, said locking bolt having two transverse plunger receiving grooves therein, a spring pressed plunger movable into engagement with one of the grooves of the bolt when the bolt is in unlocked position and to move into engagement With the other groove when the bolt is in locked position, and a head on said plunger lying in the path of the key whereby the plunger must be depressed before the key can be inserted in its lock and turned.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES N. FAIRCHILD.

III 

